2008 in Quotes | 年终妙语连珠

2008 in Quotes 年终妙语连珠


I made a mistake in presuming that the self-interest of organizations, specifically banks and others, was such that they were best capable of protecting their own shareholders and the equity.
- Former Federal Reserve Chairman on the 'flaw' he has discovered in his governing ideology.


I think I was unprepared for war. In other words, I didn't campaign and say, 'Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack'....I didn't anticipate war.
- President George W. Bush


I think -- I'll have my staff get to you.- John McCain, when asked how many homes he owned
You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.
- Barack Obama talking about Repulican plans for government reform.


There's no question about it Wall Street got drunk. It got drunk and now it's got a hangover.
- President George W. Bush, speaking at a private event in Houston about the growing financial crisis.


You always find out who's been swimming naked when the tide goes out. We found out that Wall Street has been kind of a nudist beach.
- Billionaire investor Warren Buffett


The fundamentals of our economy are strong...
- John McCain campaigning in Jacksonville Florida the day that investment bank Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy.


The biggest regret of all the presidency has to have been the intelligence failure in Iraq.
- President Bush in an interview with ABC World News.


A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful.
- Warren Buffett, in an opinion piece published in The New York Times.


No way, no how, no McCain.
- Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention


It's not over until the lady in the pantsuit says it is.
- Senator Hillary Clinton quoting a supporter's letter while on the campaign trail.


We're hitting our stride now
- Sarah Palin three days before her ticket went down to defeat in the presidential election.


It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
- President-elect Barack Obama victory speech


What did you expect us to do? Respond with a catapult? ... We punched the aggressor in the face. Did you expect us to wipe the bloody snot off our faces and bow our heads?
- Vladimir Putin on criticism over Russia conflict with Georgia over the South Ossertia region


Take it from me, elections matter.
- Al Gore, who lost to President George W. Bush eight years ago amid a dispute over the vote in Florida.


It's very nice to be a normal person for once, I think this is about as normal as I'm ever going to get,
- Prince Harry on the anonymity of being a soldier in Afghanistan.


Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place.
- Nelson Mandela praising Barack Obama's presidential victory


He may be human but he's from a different planet…a different galaxy.
- Russia's Alexander Sukhorukov after the 4x200 meters freestyle relay which provided Michael Phelps with Olympic gold number 11.


We have sort of become a nation of whiners.
- Phil Gramm, economic advisor to John McCain in an interview with the Washington Times where he described the country as being in a “mental recession.


They started it and they walked away.
- Yahoo's CEO Jerry Yang on Microsoft's decision to suspend merger talks.


That all belongs to the past just as Sovietology does. Sovietology, like paranoia, is a very dangerous disease, and it is a pity that part of the U.S. administration still suffers from it.
- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on the expansion of NATO.


The world just got a little less funny.- George Clooney on the death of comedian Bernie Mac's.
We made an offer, we made another offer ... We moved on.
- Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on speculation that Microsoft might renew its bid for Yahoo.


I can see Russia from my house.
- Tina Fey impersonating Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live.


If you've got a squirt gun in your pocket, you may have to take it out. If you've got a bazooka and people know you've got it ... you're not likely to take it out.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson while asking Congress to approve an unlimited, temporary line of credit to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.


Get ready for a schadenfreude festival on Wall Street.
- Barry Ritholtz, director of equity research at Fusion IQ on former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's reported involvement in a prostitution ring.


There are some customers which we choose not to serve. We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk.
- Apple CEO Steve Jobs


Until they show us the plan, we cannot show them the money.
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the prospects of the Detroit Three automakers winning a government bailout.


Mother, moose hunter, maverick.
- Opening line of Republican convention video introducing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.


I think he is a transformational figure. … His is a new generation coming ... onto the world stage, American stage.
- Former Republican Secretary of State Colin Powell, endorsing Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.


There is no reason not to be a pirate.
- U.S. Vice Admiral William Gortney, who commands the U.S. navy's Fifth Fleet


My grandfather was born a slave, so for me to see this happen means that there is hope for America. This took more than just black and Hispanic votes. This was America coming together.
- Vanessa Ford, 49, who works for Coca Cola.

I am not a monster.
- Austrian Josef Fritzl, who imprisoned his daughter for 24 years and fathered her seven children


I'm just a plumber. I just want to get on with my life and do my job, I'd prefer to do that without people camped out on my doorstep.
- 'Joe the Plumber' Wurzelbacher complaining about press coverage after he was mentioned by both candidates in a presidential debate.


We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry. It is more important to have good priests than to have many priests.
- Pope Benedict, addressing the pedophile priest sexual abuse scandal that has shaken the American Church.


We don't like being here asking for this.
- James Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase on the credit crunch


Mission: Not accomplished.
- GM Chief Executive Rick Wagoner, seeing a congressional bailout along with the other top 3 Detroit automakers.


2009 is not going to be better than 2008.
- Ford Motor Chief Executive Alan Mulally